The present invention relates to a drive system having a reciprocating ram for both assembling mating parts and discharging the assembled parts into a receptacle. Namely, the present invention relates to a multiple-step cyclical ram-advancing apparatus. In a two, or more, step configuration linear motion is imparted to a moving axis as revolution therearound translates said axis to provide a first linear push to a slide ram to abut articles, thence a partial retraction of the slide ram during a period of dwell. In the three step configuration, the above two steps are followed by a second linear push to discharge the assembled articles. With the addition of steps beyond three to the configuration, the steps of retraction and forward push are alternately added in the operation.
In operation, the three-step configuration causes the ram to travel forward compressing the parts together, then the ram is partially retracted slowly, and then advanced farther forward than in the assembly step to discharge the completed item at the farthest travel of the ram. In other configurations, the ram is alternately advanced and retracted a varying number of times depending on the integer ratio of the number of revolutions of the pinion gear in half revolution steps to one revolution of the system flywheel.